Deron Rippey Jr. meets with Mark Pope and adds Kentucky to the list cut.

Kentucky Basketball Lands in Final 10 for Five-Star Guard Deron Rippey Jr.

If you needed a sign that Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats are making noise on the recruiting trail, look no further than five-star guard Deron Rippey Jr. The 2026 prospect just narrowed his recruitment, and Kentucky is firmly in the mix. Call it destiny, call it Cats being surrounded by Cats — either way, the Wildcats are one step closer to landing an elite floor general.

On Thursday, the 6-foot-2 point guard out of Blair Academy (NJ) — the same program that once produced Kentucky standout Otega Oweh — announced his final 10 schools. Making the cut: Alabama, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Syracuse, Tennessee, and Texas. Out of the running? Indiana and Kansas.

This update comes fresh off a busy week for Rippey, who hosted in-home visits from some of the biggest names in college basketball. Pope wasn’t alone when he visited Brooklyn — he brought along Alvin Brooks III and Jason Hart to make the Wildcats’ pitch. Duke, led by Jon Scheyer, Tyler Thornton, and Rachel Baker, also stopped by to meet with Rippey and his father as the recruiting period opened.

Currently ranked the No. 8 overall prospect and the No. 2 point guard in the Rivals Top 150, Rippey has already drawn national attention. He’s taken official visits to Miami (FL) and North Carolina, with several more lined up over the coming weeks:

• Alabama (Sept. 12–14)

• Texas (Sept. 19–21)

• Syracuse (Sept. 26–28)

• Kentucky (Oct. 3–5)

• Indiana (Oct. 17–19)

• Tennessee (Oct. 25–26)

• Kansas (Nov. 1–3)

• NC State (Nov. 7–9)

What Rippey Wants in a Program

When asked about Kentucky, Rippey didn’t hold back his admiration for what Pope is building in Lexington.
“I love how they’ve kept winning even after Coach John Calipari left,” Rippey told KSR. “Mark Pope is a very high-level coach. He’s a guard’s coach, he sees the game like a savant. I feel like I’m the type of point guard who can think the game quickly, so playing for a coach like that is really important to me.”

Beyond coaching, Rippey is focused on style of play and early impact.
“I want a system that lets me play free, push the pace, get downhill, and make plays for my teammates,” he said. “From day one, I want to help my team win. Freshman year, I see myself making an impact.”

That mindset fits perfectly with Pope’s guard-friendly system. The Wildcats’ pitch is clear: come to Lexington, run the show, and make your mark as a freshman.

Kentucky’s Busy Visit Calendar

Kentucky has an impressive lineup of official visitors in the 2025–26 recruiting cycle. Rippey’s visit (Oct. 3–5) is just one piece of a star-studded month for Pope and his staff:

• Maximo Adams: Sept. 5–6

• Caleb Holt: Sept. 5–7

• Cole Cloer: Sept. 17–18

• Anthony Thompson: Sept. 24

• Arafan Diane: Sept. 26–27

• Cam Williams: Sept. 26–28

• Deron Rippey Jr.: Oct. 3–5

• Christian Collins: Oct. 3–5

• Bryson Howard: Oct. 4–6

• Ethan Taylor: Oct. 10–12

• Josh Irving: Oct. 10–12

• Jordan Smith Jr.: Oct. 10–12

The Bottom Line

Deron Rippey Jr. is one of the most sought-after point guards in the 2026 class, and Kentucky has positioned itself as a serious contender. With his official visit to Lexington on the horizon, Mark Pope has a golden opportunity to make his case.

If Rippey sees himself as a floor leader who thrives in freedom and pace, Kentucky just might be the perfect fit.